1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to applications of portable AC/DC power sharing. In particular, the present invention relates to methods and apparatuses for incorporating and using AC/DC power sharing in portable devices/products, such as being provided and embedded in laptop computers, handheld electronic devices, camping, recreational and marine products, or as provided and embedded in an appliance, such as personal desktop computers, work space desks and cubicles, microwave ovens, dehumidifiers, exterior landscape lighting or interior lighting, etc. For example, the present invention may relate to a DC hybrid environment which permits DC sources of renewable energy to be plugged into a home office, allowing for the DC distributed generation resource to be used in preference to AC grid-supplied power, in concert with back-up power as in a UPS.
2. Description of the Related Art
Office modules and office cubicles are most commonly used in conjunction with computer and other electronic equipment. Both communications and power lines are required to operate such equipment. Although the equipment itself is intrinsically DC, only AC power inputs are supplied to these modules.
The prior art illustrates some efforts to pre-wire these office modules for distribution of AC power and communications lines.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,495 of Johnson speaks to low voltage control of AC power in office partitions and wall systems.
Additionally, a control system for office equipment is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,365 of Caldwell et al.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,609 of Poppe describes a controllable power distribution system capable of supplying switched power to an individual work station or to an entire office.
Additionally, Mobility Electronics, Inc. of Scottsdale Ariz. provides buck converters with programmable voltage cord sets.
Moreover, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,786,642, 6,252,310 and 6,614,130 of Wilhelm describe modular power management systems sharing AC and multiple DC power sources to power DC compatible loads. Other features of these patents describe the combined distribution of AC and low voltage DC and their common availability at an ordinary duplex AC outlet. With the incorporation of a storage battery, these modular power management systems also provide the advantages of an uninterruptible power supply (“UPS”).